The Department of Finance has reported that planning applications across Northern Ireland fell by 15% in the second quarter of 2023/24, and down 11% for the same period in the previous financial year.

The department also reported in their statistical bulletin seven of the 11 councils failed to meet the 15-week target for concluding applications.

In total there were 2,391 planning applications received during the second quarter of 2023/24. This was a decrease of ten percent on the previous quarter and down by eleven percent on the same period a year earlier.

The applications were made up of 2,359 local, 31 major and one regionally significant application.

The second quarter of 2023/24, saw 2,238 planning applications were decided, down by 15% from the previous quarter and down by 21% from the same period a year earlier. Decisions were issued on 2,210 local and 28 major applications during the most recent quarter.

The time taken to process local applications brought to a decision or withdrawal during the first six months of 2023/24 was 19.2 weeks across all councils. This is in excess of the 15 week target and represents an increase of 2.2 weeks from the same period a year earlier.

Only four of the 11 councils were within the 15 week target after the first six months of 2023/24.

The average processing time for major applications brought to a decision or withdrawal during the first six months of 2023/24 was 34.7 weeks across all councils. This represents a decrease of 15.3 weeks compared with the same period a year earlier, as more councils moved closer to the 30-week target.

The number of enforcement cases concluded, and corresponding processing times will be published in 2024.